The Prosecution and the Defense concluded their respective cases in the trial of Léonidas Nshogoza, who is charged with contempt of the Tribunal and attempt to commit acts punishable as contempt of the Tribunal, before Trial Chamber III of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), composed of Judges Khalida R. Khan, Presiding, Lee G. Muthoga and Judge Aydin Akay.

In its summation, the Prosecution prayed for the conviction of the accused and requested for an appropriate and effective sentence which can deter similar crimes in future. The Prosecution stated that, on account of uncontroverted evidence it had proved that the accused knowingly and willfully perverted the course of justice by corruptly soliciting and procuring false testimony. It added that much as the case was simple but the charges were very serious because they involve an attempt to pervert justice in a genocide case and interfering in the administration of justice.

The Defence, in its closing arguments, however, urged the Trial Chamber to dismiss the case and acquit the accused because the Prosecution had failed to prove its case. It argued that the Prosecution had only shown that it was far from coming close to meeting the burden to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt in all the counts facing the accused. Nshogoza, who was former investigator for the Defence during the trial of Jean de Dieu Kamuhanda, is charged on four counts with: count one and two; contempt of the Tribunal; count three and four; attempt to commit acts punishable as contempt of the Tribunal.

The accused is alleged to have committed the offences with intent to fabricate additional evidence and procure false statements for use in support of the appeal against conviction and sentence of Jean de Dieu Kamuhanda. Léonidas Nshogoza was born in 1961 in Rukeri, Kiyumba Muhanga province in Rwanda.

He voluntarily surrendered to (ICTR) at its seat in Arusha, Tanzania on Friday 8 February 2008. His trial began on 9 February 2009. The accused is assisted by Defence Counsel Ms. Allison Turner while Mr. Richard Karegyesa is leading the Prosecution team composed of Mr. Abdoulaye Seye, Appeals Counsel and Dennis Mabura.